Tire carrier



Dec. 1, 1931. NELSQN 1,334,851

TIRE CARRIER Filed Feb. 16, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

De. 1, 1931. E. A. NELSON 1,834,861

TIRE CARRIER Filed Feb. 16, 1929 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 56 26 i 5? AM 6'6 #5 IN V EN TOR A TORNEYS.

Dec. 1, 1931. E. A. NELSON i TIRE CARRIER Filed Feb. 16, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR E772 ZZflNeZJmz i BY / A TTORNEY5.

Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMIL A. NELSON, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN TIRE CARRIER Application filed February 16, 1929. Serial No. 340,478.

This invention relates to tire carriers for ed area and positioned outwardly thereof, motor Vehicles, and the like, the principal means being provided extending through the object being the provision of a novel form rim receiving portion at points relatively reof tire carrier that is simple in design, ecomote from the point of securement of the supnomical to manufacture, and efficient in use. porting member to the rim receiving mem- 55 Another object is to provide a tire carher for securement of the supporting member rier including an expansible and contractto suitable supporting means, the means ex able ring upon'which a tire rim is adapted tending through the rim receiving portion to be received and to be embraced thereby. being slidable relative thereto whereby 6X 10 Another objectis to provide a tire carrier pansion and contraction of the rim receiving 6 including an expansible and contractable portion adjacent such means is not restricted. ring member adapted to be received within Another object is to provide a tire carrier and to be expanded against a tire rim, the comprising an expansiblo and contract-able weight carried by the rim being transmitted ring-like rim supporting member having refrom substantially a single point thereon to silient edges adapted to resiliently embrace suitable supporting means. the side edges of a rim.

Another object is to provide a. tire carrier A further object is to provide a tire carrier having an expansible and contractable ringhaving certain novel features of construction like'mem'ber and a supporting member sethat will be specifically pointed out, or will 20 cured thereto over a limited circumferential be obvious, in the following specification. distance "'on said ring-like member whereby The above being among the objects of the to permit a'maxim'um amount of deflection present invention, the same consists in cerof the ring member during expansion or tain novel features of construction and com- I p contraction thereof. binations of parts to be hereinafter described Another object isto provide-a tire carrier with reference to the accompanying drawcomprising an eXpansible and contractable ings, and then claimed, having the above and ring-like rim receiving member provided other objects in view. with an inwardly extending eircumferen- In the accompanying drawings which show tial recess, a relatively rigid supporting a suitable embodiment of the present inven- 30v member being received in the recess and betion, and in which like numerals refer to ing secured thereto along a limited circumlike parts throughout the several different ferential distance thereof only, the supportviews;

ing member extending from the point of se- Fig. 1 is a partially broken rear view of cnrement to the ring-like member to substanmy improved tire carrier.

" 'tially opposite sides of the ring-like mem- Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line her and there being connected to suitable 22 of Fig. 1. supporting arms, the supporting member en- Fig. 3 is an enlarged partially broken View gaging the sides of the' recess to aid in preof the means employed for expanding and venting movement of the supporting ring contracting the rim and the ring. "relative to the point of securement of the Fig. 4i is a view taken on the line 4-4: of

ring to the supporting member. Fig. 3.

Another object is to provide a tire carrier Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of having an expansible and contractabie ring- Fig. 3. 7 like supporting member in which the sup- Fig. 6 is a view taken as on the line 66 of porting 'member of a construction similar Fig. 5, showing how the locking member of to the rim adapted to be received thereby. the rim cooperates therewith to transmit Another object is to provide a tire carrier driving effort between. the wheel and rim. having an expansible and contra'ctable rim Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view receiving member and a rigid'supporting illustrating amodified form of supporting member secured thereto along a single limitring.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of construction 9- member 29. which is-secured centrally of the for. resiliently tling.

Referring to the drawings, I show a tire rim of the conventional split type having a cylindricalbase portion and side flanges 26 and being adapted to receive thereon a tire such as 27 (see Fig. 2) in the conventional manner. The rim is split as at28 in holding the rim against ratthe Conventional manner to permit collapsing of the rim in order to remove the tire 27 therefrom and to place it thereon. The rim shown in the drawings is providedwith a type ofsocalled rim loc-l: now being manufactured in large quaiitities,.and which rim lock is formed toaid thecollapsing and expanding of the rim during the application or removal of the tire. x-This rim lock comprises a bracket 1 rimbase 25 on one-side of the line of split I 9 6 011 either side of the line of split 28 and the 5 28 and adjacent thereto; An arm 30 is pivoted to. the bracket29 by a pin such as 31 so as to swin in. radialplane, the arm 30 beingcentral'ly"slotterv as at'32 in. Fig.4 so as to fit aroundthebracket 29;v The arm 30 is'of a' len'gthto bridgethe line of split 28 when the rim is in normal expanded position. The base'25 of the rim is cut away as at 33 n Fig.

arm 30 is provided with an upstanding tongue portion 34 which fits within the slot33 when the rim is in normalexpanded. position, the

outer surfaceef. the arm '3'0-0n either side of the'tongue 3 L abutting against the under.

face of the base 25. The arm 30 on that side thereofopposite theliiie of split 28 from the bracket 29 is provided with an opening 35 in whicha pin-36. staked to the base 25 as at .37; onthat: side thereof opposite the line'of split 28 from the bracket 29, is relatively rotatably received. The arm 30*is further provided with an: inwardly opening slot 38 adapted to be received over a driving lug not shown) on the wheel felloe in order'to positively transmit the driving effort from the wheel to the rim, such driving effort being transmitted to the rim proper through the arm 30 and tongue 34. The arm 30 is also provided with an opening 89 adjacent its free end in which a tool (not shown) may be re ceived in order to cause the arm 30 to pivot about the pin 31 and thereby draw the righthand free end of the rim (as viewedinthe drawings) downwardly and to the .left in order to collapse the rim to permit the ap plication or removal ofa tire.

As above stated, the present tire carrierisf ofthat type provided with a ring-like mem- 'ber upon which the rim above described is adapted tobe supported.- Thei'ing-like mernher in this. case is formed to approximately thesame shape as the rim which it supports, it compr sing a relatively narrow outwardly openingcentral channel portion 43 and free edges of which terminate in outwardly extending portions 4A whose edge portions are reversely bent inwardly as at 45 so as to form, in section, a relatively open loop; This ring-like supporting member is split as at 46 in the same manner as the tire rim 25, and is provided with a locking mechanism comprisingthebracket 47, arm 48 and cross pin 49, corresponding exactly in construction with the bracket 29, arm 30 and pin 36 previously described; The supporting ring is so proportionedthat when the tire rim is placed thereon and the supporting ring is expanded, the

looped edges 45 bearagainst the opposite side edges of the base 25 and firmly hold the tire rim against displacement thereon. I prefer to construct the, ring-like supporting mem ber of sufiicientlylight springyvmetal that the looped edges 45 are suiii'ciently flexible-so as to be slightly compressed-upon expansion of the supportingring against the rim." This not only maintains the tire rim in place and prevents rattling of the 831116,.1b11l7 it takes care of the small variations in tire rim sizes that are liable to occur in'production,

Thissupporting i'ilng is. supported from a vehicle, 'or-other. device, in; the following manneim Within the channel 4-3 I place a substantially semi-circular bar 50 of relatively rigid construction As indicatedin' Fi 2,

this bar member is of substantially the same width as'the interior width of the channel 43 and preferably slidably. engages the sides thereof. -The member 50 is preferably of sub-V stantially the sameradius asthe radius of the channel portions?) when the supporting ring is "in expanded position, at which time it preferably lies in contact, or almost in con- 7 tact, with the bottom of the channel 43.- This supporting bar 50.is secured to the supporting'ring by riveting it as' at 51, or otherwise at such points is preferably provided with a knurled or serrated surface 54 and a collar 55 having 'knurled or serrated end surfaces, is

received over each bolt 52 and against the corresponding facev 54:, it being of asize to be slidably received. within the correspond ing opening 53. The. bolts 52 inwardly of the collar-55 are adapted to be-secured to any suitable supporting members or means Se curedto or'fo'rming a part of the vehicle or other 'dev i'ce upon which the tire carrier is to be mounted, that. shown comprising a pair of rigid arms 56 which may be suitably secured to a conventionalform of frame cross member57,las indicated in Fig. 2, when the and tire carrier is adapted to be carried at the rear of the vehicle, the bolts 52 engaging the free ends of the arms. The arms 56 themselves, as well as the free ends of the bar 50, may be stiffened if desired, by positioning a cross member such as 58 between them, as indicated in Fig. l, and drawing the ends thereof securely against the corresponding end of the arm 56 by the nuts 59' threaded on the bolts 52. This acts to maintain the free ends'of the arms 56 and the free ends of the bar 50 in their rigid spaced relationship. The outer faces of the arms 56 where they engage the inner faces of the sleeves 55 are, of

course, knurled or serrated for matching engagement with the contacting end ofthe sleeves 55. The provision of the sleeve 55 and the serrated faces is for the purpose of permitting adjustment of the angularity of the tire carrier about the axis of the bolts 52, and this is preferable where a single design of tire carrier is to be employed on various makes of vehicles or various models of a single make where diiferent angularities are required in orderto blend the tire carrier into the lines of the body, but it will be apparent that where such adj ustability is not required,

thesleeve 55 may be formed as an integral part either of the bar 50, or of the correspond ing arm 56. In such a case the connection joint may bedisnensed with anda third arm such as 60, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, may be extended from that portion of the channel 43 to which the bar 50 is riveted to the frame cross member 57 between the arms 56.

It may also be noted that where the sleeve or washer 55 is of hardened construction, and the bar member 50 and arms 56 are not her dened, no initial knurling or serrating of the bar or arms is necessary as the knurling or Hserrations of the sleeves 55 will be forced to the supporting member over a limited length only thereof, and because the sleeves 55 are freely slidable in the openings 53, the ring-like supporting member is free to flex over substantially its entire circumference. This permits a minimum expenditure of en- ?ergy in contracting the supporting ring, and

prevents any excessive stresses being set up in the same.

- The bar 50, although being secured to the ring-like supporting member at substantially one point only, nevertheless maintains it against vibration or movement longitucinally of the vehicle because of the fact that it engages the side surfaces of the channel portion 43 for at least half of the circumference thereof.

It will, of course, be evident that the bracket 29 and arm 30 of the tire rim are received within the channel 43 of the support-- ing ring when positioned thereon, and are thereby concealed when the rim is positioned on the ring. Rotatable movement of the rim on the ring is of course prevented, when a tire is mounted on the rim, because of the fact that the valve stem (not shown) projects through the opening 62 provided in the bottom of the channel as for that purpose. The arm 48 may be locked against movement for the purpose of preventing removal of the rim from the carrier in any suitable manner. One method of doing this is indicated in the drawing, and comprises a bracket member 66, riveted or otherwise secured to the side of the channel 43 of the ring member adjacent the free end of the arm 48, and extending into adjacent relationship therewith when the arm to is moved to expand the ring. Aligned openings 6. and 68 are provided in the bracket 66 and arm 48 whereby the hasp 69 of a pad-lock 70 may be inserted through them.

In order to prevent possible rattling between the bar 50 and the supporting ring when the carrier is in operation, I prefer to extend the free ends of the bar 50 upwardly as at 71 and secure thereto a rubber block such as 72, the block being of such dimensions that when the supporting ring is eX panded the block 7 2 is placed under compression and thereby acts to hold the free ends of the bar 50 in a definite relationship with respect to the adjacent portion of the supportin; ring at such ends.

In cases where the supporting ring is formed of material of such thickness as to provide very little, or substantially no resiliency at the looped edges 45, thereby neces sitating the diameter of the ring-like supporting member being limited to closcl y it rim of minimum diameter, and which would otherwise allow a rim of larger diameter to rattle upon the supporting ring, I prefer to provide additional means for preventing such rattling. This may take the form indicated in Fig. 8 in which one or more rubber blocks 73 are secured within the channel 43 between the block 72 and the split portion of the rim and ring, the rubber blocks 73 being of such dimensions as to be compressed between the bottom 25 of the rim and the bottom of the channel L3 when the ring is expanded.

Another method of overcoming this disadvantage of using heavier gauge material is Q'With this construction, the stiffening bar 58 may be employed as a supportingmeans for a license plate such as 7 5 and signal lights 76 and 77, as indicated in the drawings, or for other objects as desired.

It will of course be obvious that it is not essential in the practice of the present invention that the bar 50 be positioned at the bottom of the tire carrier, but may be placed in any other position, such as at the top of the carrier or side thereof ifdesired, and it is further apparent. that'the point of securement of the bar 50'to the supporting ring need not be equally disposed on either side of the line oi split of the supporting ring orrim. It will be obvious that the construction of the tire carrier herein describedis such as topermit easy and economical productionof'the same, inasmuchas the ring-like supporting member may be produced by the same machinery, or substantially the same, as is employed for forming thetirerim itself.

Although I have shown a particular type j of rim lock and expanding and contracting means for the supporting ring, it will be evident that the particular type of rimlock,

whether it permits .ease in expanding and contracting of the rim as in the construction shown, or not, is of 'no moment as far as the present invention is concerned, nor is it necessary that the particular means shown for expanding and contracting the'supporting ring itself be employed,- as it is obvious that any suitable means may be employed for accomplishing this movement, the construction described being shown merely for the purpose of illustrating an exceedingly simple and economical manner of accomplishing the result desired.

made in the specific embodiment of the in vention described without departing from the 5 spirit or substance of the broad invention,

he scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims. I

What I claim is: V 7 I 1 g V 1. In a tire carrier, in combination, an ex:

pansible and 'contractable rim supporting ring, and a single supporting member rigidly secured to said area. y

2. In "a tire carrier, in combination, arim.

These and other formal changes may be ring overa single limited I ber therefor rigidly secured thereto over-a single limited area and slidably engaging said ring at a plurality ofpoints spaced from said area. 1 Y 1 3. In a tire carrier,in combination, a split rim receiving ring, and. a single supporting member therefore secured thereto at a point substantially opposite the'line of split of said ring.

4. In a tire carrier, in combination, a rim supporting ring formed to provide an outwardly openingcircumferentially extending channel therein, and a generally arcuate supporting member received Within said channel and rigidly secured to said ring over'ajlimited length of said ring only. a

5. In a tire carrier,'in combination, a rim supporting ring formed to provide an outwardly opening circumferentially' xtending channel therein, and a generally arcuate' supporting member received within said channel and rigidly secured midway between its ends tosaidring.

6. In a tire carrier, in combination, a rim supporting ring formed to provide an outwardly opening circumferentially extending length of said ring only, and means extend-' ing through the bottorn'ofsaid channel connecting the ends of said supporting member withcooperating supporting means. {I

7. In a tire carrierfin combination,an expa'nsible andcont-ractable ringhaving circumferentially extending outwardly opening channel formedtherein, a semi-circular rigid member received in said channel and rigidly'secured thereto midway between its ends, said rigid member 'slidably engaging the sides of said channel, said channel being provided with an opening in its bot-tom wall adjacent each end of said rigid member, and studs secured to the ends of said rigid member projecting throughsaid openings and being movable therein; 8; In a tire carrier, in combination, an expansible andv contractable ring having a circumferentially extending outwardly opening channel formed therein, a semi-circular rigid member received in said channel and rigidly secured thereto midway between itscnds, said rigid member slidably engaging the sides of said channel, said channel being provided with'anopening in its bottom wall adjacent tweensaid studs and rigidly secured relative to them. V

9. In a tire carrier, in COIIlblIlEl'tlOIl, an expansibleand contractable ring having a circumferentially extending outwardly openmg channel formed therein, asemrcircular member received therein and secured thereto between its ends, means engaging sa1d semi-circular member adjacent its ends for supporting the same, and resilient means intel-posed between the ends of said semi-circular member and the bottom of sald channel adapted to be compressed uponexpansion of said ring.

10; In a tire carrier, in combination, a generally channel sectioned expansible and contractable ring having transversely slotted resilient edges adapted to embrace a tire rim when expanded therein.

11. In a tire carrier, in combination, an expansible and contractable ring adapted to receive a tire rim theron, said ring being formed of sheet metal into a generally channel section, the side edges of which are reversely bent to form, in section, an open loop.

12. In a tire carrier, in combination, an expansible and contractable ring adapted to receive a tire rim thereon, said ring being formed of sheet metal into a generally channel section, the side edges of which are reversely bent to form, in section, an open loop yieldable when forced into contact with a rim.

13. An expansible and contractable ring for a tire carrier formed of sheet metal into a generally channel shaped section the margins of which are reversely bent inwardly to form, in section, open loops adapted to engage the side edges of a tire rim when received thereon.

14. A rim supporting member for a tire carrier comprising an eXpansible and contractable ring formed of sheet metal into a generally channel shaped section, the sides 01" said ring being split to impart radial resiliency to said edges.

15. A rim supporting member for atire carrier comprising an expansible and contractable ring formed of sheet metal into a generally channel shaped section, the sides of said ring being transversely split to form the same into a plurality of radially yieldable fingers.

16. In combination, a generally channel sectioned eXpansible and contractable ring, a rigid member received therein and rigidly secured thereto between its ends, a pair of supporting arms each terminating in spaced but adjacent relationship with respect to the inside surface of said ring, meansextending freely through said ring connecting said arms with said rigid member, and means for expanding and contracting said ring.

17 In a tire carrier, 1n combination, a ring segment, a rim receiving ring enveloping said segment on at least three sides thereof and secured thereto, and means for supporting said rim receiving ring from a supporting surface through said segment.

EMIL A. NELSON. 

